PC

By and large, we’re not interested in PCs as much as we used to be. A recent study by Gartner suggests the PC market took a dip once again, with sales slipping 1.3% over this time last year. While the lump-sum “Others” are largely at fault, even Dell saw their numbers take a hit, dropping 3.8% versus Q1 2014. Others are surprisingly up, though, with Lenovo leading the charge, gaining 13.5% over last year. Apple also made significant headway, proving the changes made to their Macs are having positive effects.

Consumer computers are getting smaller and smaller, and we're not just referring to the powerful computers that you already have in your pockets for playing Clash of Clans. PC and chip makers seem to be riding on a trend to put a usable PC inside a device the size of a USB dongle, or a bit larger, ala the Chromecast. One of the more recent attempts is Intel, who is trying to spread its Atom chips everywhere it can. And while it may not be as "cool" as the Mouse Computer m-Stick that comes with a fan, it at least comes from a more reputable brand.

There are just some things that are not only great in themselves but are also great when taken together with something just as great. For some, that would PB & J. For Mike Schropp of Total Geekdom, that would be LEGO and computers. Building on his years of experience housing computing power inside the popular bricks, Schropp has finally decided to get his hands dirty and build what is probably a geek's biggest dream come true. But while this box made of LEGO from the outside might seem unassuming, make no mistake as this computer could be just as powerful as your laptop, or maybe even more.

The launch of Google Chromecast started a trend of putting lightweight but very functional computing systems on a device the size of an HDMI dongle. We've seen the likes of Dell's Wyse Cloud Connect, Intel's HDMI Compute, and more recently, the Acer Chromebit and Microsoft's Windows 8.1 PC stick from Lucoms. These small computers, however, because of their compact size, run the risk of running hot. Japanese outfit Mouse Computer thinks it has the solution to that common problem, which involves nothing hi-tech or sophisticated. All it needs is a fan.

This week Ubisoft announced Assassin's Creed Chronicles, the next in a line of titles headed to PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and gaming PCs. This title will follow three "famous Assassins" to China, India, and Russia, and will be released in three parts. The first part will be Assassin's Creed Chronicles: China, followed by Chronicles: India, and Chronicles: Russia. The first of three titles will be released on April 21st in North and South America, while EMEA will get the game on the 22nd of April.

This week the folks at RockStar have dished out several screenshots - screen grabs, whatever you want to call them - from their current PC build of GTAV. They've also shared requirements for the game on PC, both minimum and recommended. And Yes, you will need Windows to run this game - no Mac or Linux allowed (as of yet, that is). This game was most recently set to arrive March 24th - but it's been bumped to April 14th, and that's (supposedly) the final word on that.

Now that Apple is rumored to be releasing a new Apple TV box later this year, citizens of the mobile smart device universe have their respective TV-loving ears perked up once again. Do I need a new Apple TV? Maybe an Amazon Fire TV Stick instead? Perhaps I need to get something like a Roku, or maybe a Chromecast! Or - better yet - I could just use the old laptop that's sitting in, on, or under my desk. The one I replaced years ago, but still works just fine.

What's that - a TIE-fighter anime series? Not quite. More like a taste of what's possible made by a single artist. The artist known as MightyOtaking has created the full-sized version of the demo 2-minute picture he'd been working on earlier this year, this piece of work simply called "TIE Fighter (short film)". "Drawn and animated by yours truly," he says, "over 4 years worth of weekends." You'll notice several sound effects from the original TIE Fighter video game for PC - that's the inspiration for this whole project, after all.

No longer teamed up heartily with Beats by Dre, HP has sought out a new audio partnership for PCs of the future. With Bang & Olufsen, HP has the partnership they're prepared to present for the foreseeable future. Bang & Olufsen and B&O PLAY will be brought to HP’s PCs, tablets, and accessories in the near future, pushing an "exceptional sound experiences for customers." This means Bang & Olufsen will go ahead and "custom tune" every notebook, desktop, tablet, and accessory HP attaches them to in the future.

Acer is back with another convertible PC: the Acer Aspire Switch 11. As with this machine's previous iteration, the Aspire Switch 11 is both a tablet and a laptop, being whichever you'd like it to be in any given moment. This is nothing new, but these type of machines can often miss the mark when it comes to usability. Such isn't the case with the Switch 11 -- though a bit on the thick side, this convertible PC works wonderfully as a laptop and even better as a tablet. Will it meet your needs? Read our full review to find out!